Tales from today's commute....

[fossyant]

Todays' ride home. 40% chance of Hail. In august. Sky ominously black. Wish me (and everyone else riding in this part of the world) luck!

Good luck, been some heavy bursts this afternoon.

 

[biking_fox]

Actually not too bad - as you say bursts. I let one just finish as I left work, and then it was fine long enough.

This morning far more pleasant, empty roads warm and fast.
My 'short route' ride is 3miles on segregated cycle lanes. Takes about 17min. My normal route a mix of road and offroad is twice as long - 6miles, but only takes 24(ish) min. Significantly faster riding than on the dedicated cycling facilities.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Rear tyre flat as a pancake on setting off this morning. Inevitably...

Oh, and it pissed it down the whole way in.

And a very slight but extremely annoying rubbing noise, I think from rear mudguard, which disappeared when my weight was removed so couldn't be solved.

Happy Monday all.

Pissed down all the way home too.

Still getting that annoying noise, but now only when out of the saddle, which makes finding it nigh on impossible.

Still, didn't get wet this morning at least.

 

[fossyant]

Pleasant ride in this morning, 10 miles in 41 minutes, so fairly quick, as little or no wind. Colleague arrived soon after me, but had forgotten her bike lock keys. Offered my ABUS Bordo, but she decided to take the bike into the building (fortunately not many people about at 8am). Looks like a warm week ahead.

 

[fossyant]

Another pleasant commute, and my colleague remembered her lock this morning. I joked it sometimes take more time to and unlock and lock the bikes than it does riding !

Noticed there are lots of white spray markers by the access points to the Fallowfield Loop. By the looks of things they are improving access and removing or moving some of the barriers. The council removed a number of the chicanes a few years back, mainly by removing the vehicle access gates along the floop, so cyclists and anyone with buggies/wheelchairs etc can divert round the barriers. There are still a few shoulder barriers and a few tight chicanes when accessing off a side street.

 

[fossyant]

Yet another pleasant ride. Stopped twice as I could feel a vibration from the rear. Turned out to be one of the canti pads catching the tyre. Adjusted them last night, but one needed a further fettle on arrival at work.

Not seen the 'old chap' I see walking his two dogs in one of the Parks for a couple of weeks, hope he's well.

 

[biking_fox]

pleasant rides here too. Making the most of the light traffic and fair weather to ride the singlespeed on the road route in.

 

[fossyant]

Dry and overcast. Light traffic, whats not to like.

 

[ianrauk]

Dry and overcast. Light traffic, whats not to like.

Dry and overcast and warm. Light traffic, whats not to like.

 

[fossyant]

Dry and overcast and warm. Light traffic, whats not to like.

It's raining now !

 

[ianrauk]

It's raining now !

Well you will live up there

 

[fossyant]

Well you will live up there

Sunny again !

 

[Time Waster]

Today's commute, mixed mode. 7 minutes cycle to catch the train then a short cycle home. No problem. Except 6 months ago they moved my perfectly timed train home forward in time so I can't catch it unless all trains are delayed by a lot. So I now have to wait 45 minutes for the next.

Cancelled!

Second train one hour and 15 minutes after I got to the station.

Cancelled!

5 minutes downhill sprint to catch the bus to the nearby village and a 20 minute ride home from there.

Made it in 5 minutes but the bus had left early!

Check buses after that, one to next town where I might get picked up by partner. Looked like she was going to do that. So got bus.

Got to next town and partner said no to picking me up!

At the train station in next town, a long, windy platform with no waiting room. Went to walk round the small town market street. Everywhere closed. Tiny snug bar on platform closed on Tuesdays. Back to windy station.

Next train, the one I could have got at station near work, is still half hour away. However I'm not moving from the platform as the train after is also cancelled.

I'm going to get home about 2 hours after I got to the first station near work. That's hour and half after I should have got home. Please don't cancel it too!

Do basically 3 out of 4 rush hour trains have been cancelled! Northern Rail needs to lose its franchise!

Sorry for this barely cycle commuting based rant. I needed the therapy of a rant.

 

[fossyant]

Today's commute, mixed mode. 7 minutes cycle to catch the train then a short cycle home. No problem. Except 6 months ago they moved my perfectly timed train home forward in time so I can't catch it unless all trains are delayed by a lot. So I now have to wait 45 minutes for the next.

Cancelled!

Second train one hour and 15 minutes after I got to the station.

Cancelled!

5 minutes downhill sprint to catch the bus to the nearby village and a 20 minute ride home from there.

Made it in 5 minutes but the bus had left early!

Check buses after that, one to next town where I might get picked up by partner. Looked like she was going to do that. So got bus.

Got to next town and partner said no to picking me up!

At the train station in next town, a long, windy platform with no waiting room. Went to walk round the small town market street. Everywhere closed. Tiny snug bar on platform closed on Tuesdays. Back to windy station.

Next train, the one I could have got at station near work, is still half hour away. However I'm not moving from the platform as the train after is also cancelled.

I'm going to get home about 2 hours after I got to the first station near work. That's hour and half after I should have got home. Please don't cancel it too!

Do basically 3 out of 4 rush hour trains have been cancelled! Northern Rail needs to lose its franchise!

Sorry for this barely cycle commuting based rant. I needed the therapy of a rant.

Oh god, how far is the cycle, door to door ? Northern Fail, no wonder we all hate them.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Today's commute, mixed mode. 7 minutes cycle to catch the train then a short cycle home. No problem. Except 6 months ago they moved my perfectly timed train home forward in time so I can't catch it unless all trains are delayed by a lot. So I now have to wait 45 minutes for the next.

Cancelled!

Second train one hour and 15 minutes after I got to the station.

Cancelled!

5 minutes downhill sprint to catch the bus to the nearby village and a 20 minute ride home from there.

Made it in 5 minutes but the bus had left early!

Check buses after that, one to next town where I might get picked up by partner. Looked like she was going to do that. So got bus.

Got to next town and partner said no to picking me up!

At the train station in next town, a long, windy platform with no waiting room. Went to walk round the small town market street. Everywhere closed. Tiny snug bar on platform closed on Tuesdays. Back to windy station.

Next train, the one I could have got at station near work, is still half hour away. However I'm not moving from the platform as the train after is also cancelled.

I'm going to get home about 2 hours after I got to the first station near work. That's hour and half after I should have got home. Please don't cancel it too!

Do basically 3 out of 4 rush hour trains have been cancelled! Northern Rail needs to lose its franchise!

Sorry for this barely cycle commuting based rant. I needed the therapy of a rant.

I think Northern did lose their franchise; it's now run by a publicly owned company.